Question regarding combined shipping for large but light items

[LauriesGiftsBiz]

First of all, I love that this feature is finally available. I added Calculated Shipping last week, and I'm slowly learning what I've done right-- as well as what I've done wrong and need to correct-- as I see orders come in using the new system. It works perfectly for my aprons (now that I've learned what I was doing wrong to get the packaging fee to be included so that I can purchase insurance for my First Class packages... ) The learning curve isn't too harsh---and I've found almost all the answers I needed in this forum.

One problem that I've seen many times (but haven't found the answer to yet) is this:

When you have an item that is fairly large, but also light weight-- the combined shipping is way off for orders of multiple items. For example, my purses must be shipped in a 12 x 12 x 8" box. Once they're all packaged (stuffed & wrapped with protective materials) the box ends up weighing about 1 lb. 6 oz. HOWEVER the purse itself only weighs 7 oz. From experience, I know that both items should ship for the Priority Mail 2 lb. rate. But using the Calculated Shipping formula (as I understand it) the weight used to figure postage would be 2 lb. 12 oz. (double the original weight)-- instead of the actual weight of 1 lb. 13 oz.

I haven't seen a direct answer to this issue in reading through all of the questions and answers in this forum. As I understand it, the only solution is a work-around-- by manipulating the weight for each purse package-- but I don't think that will work for me. No matter what, one purse with packaging/ box weighs slightly over a pound to ship. Two purses together with packaging/ box weighs less than two pounds to ship.

I've made note on each purse listing that I will refund any shipping overages, but rarely do customers read through all of that information. They will look at the pictures and see the "cost" of shipping to their location and will most likely decide that it is too expensive to purchase.

I know that tweaks and improvements are happening all of the time. I would love to see an added "weight with another item" input section. But overall I am thrilled with how well this is working for me so far!!!

[Former_Member]

Laurie, that is a tricky one. I ship jar candles which are heavy. The weight to ship one all boxed up is 1 pound 11 or 12 ounces. But 2 of them boxed only weigh 2 pounds 15 ounces. By entering the weight of the jars at 1 pound 8 ounces I get a combined weight of 3 pounds which if fine. Between 1 and 2 pounds the same and between 2 and 3 pounds the same - without going over those limits.

However, with your purses I don't see how you can manipulate the weight to be over a pound for 1 but then not over 2 pounds for 2.

I wish I could help.

[vintageNCtreasures]

Laurie....with your bags this would be a problem with any site that uses CS.

Sometimes there is just no way of manipulating the weights to get it to come up right for multiple purchases. (I don't know if you sell on eBay but you'd have the same problem on there).

I don't see anyway either to get your weights adjusted so 2 will ship for under 2 lbs either.

In my other shop, I sell goat coats and boxed the smaller sizes weigh around 1 lb. 10 oz.

But if 2 are sold, the weight is under 3 lbs.

So I have to do like Kathy, I manipulate the weight and only enter 1 lb. 5 oz to 1 lb. 8 oz so 2 will calculate at around 2 lb. 10-14 oz.

If you could get 1 bag in a smaller box to make the weight right at 15.5 oz just shy of 1 llb, that would help but if your bags are fairly large, they'd probably need the bigger box which weighs more.

The "weight with another item" has been brought up before and we'd be back to estimating or guessing what someone is going to buy with another item.
No site that I've ever sold on has this...and I could see that being a big problem for sellers that have a wide variety of items with a a lot of different weights.

Even on Ebay It's either calculated on the total weight of the order and a buyer's zip code or flat rate to everyone and on the flat rate part you can put a cost to ship with another item, just like the old way of shipping on here.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

When you ship internationally, too, playing with the weights can get expensive. Every ounce makes a difference up to the 4 pound mark. I think even after the 4 pounds it goes by ounces, not pounds like US postage pricing.

[vintageNCtreasures]

Craft, after 4 lbs it is just like USA..4 lb. 5 oz is the same rate as 4 lb. 14 oz.

Only if you're shipping 1st class (4 lbs and under) does exact ounces matter.

Even if you use Priority on packages under 4 lbs. shipping is calculated like it is for USA, 2 lb. 2 oz is the same postage as 2 lb. 9 oz. but only.for Priority.

It will make a difference on 1st class.

I no longer ship internationally but I did for a number of years.
And is one reason I quit, 1 oz can make a huge difference in 1st class Int....not to mention sometimes I had packages taking 4-6 weeks to deliver (even to Canada) and having buyer's get mad not only about delivery time but on duty fees they had to pay both of which are out of a sellers control).

[Former_Member]

Laurie, what if someone bought 4 of your purses and you had with another item set at 7 ounces? Wouldn't you need a second box? Would 14 ounces of shipping be enough for that? You said 2 ship at a weight of 1 pound 13 ounces.

That is the problem with using with another item weights. It might work for 1 additional item, but after that it's a problem - or if you are shipping different types of items with all different weights. It would not work.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

I ship a lot of international packages. Well, I guess a lot is relative. Probably 10/week. So far I've had good luck with the packages arriving in a reasonable amount of time.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

Kathy, why would it be a problem? Since we're talking weight, not dollars like the old system, the weight would just keep adding up no matter what the item is.

[Former_Member]

I would say 10 a week is a lot Craft!

I used to do International also - I just got sick of it. I'm retired and not trying to make a living on Etsy (luckily!) so I can pick and choose what I want to do. But man, it is so much easier now with the calculator - if I were younger I would do it.

One of the biggest pains for all shipping before was every time they raised the postal rates - having to figure it all out over again. I love that with the calculator we will never have to do that again.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

Yeah, I'm not making a living on Etsy, either. It started out as a way to destash craft supplies when I stopped doing craft shows and has turned into a tiny wood parts empire. I'm actually a database administrator (which is why I'm able to pop in here doing the day since I'm always sitting in front of a computer).

[Former_Member]

Craft, for me, I don't need those weights adding up so much as I need items fitting into flat rate boxes. So dimensions are very important to me.

I was thinking of Laurie's scenario. She needs 2 with another items to add up to more than 14 ounces if someone buys 4 - she said shipping 2 weighs 1 pound 13 ounces.

I really wouldn't care if they made that option as long as it was a choice. What I have now works perfectly.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

Laurie's scenario would work perfectly with the "with another item" weight. Her first one would be 1 pound 6 ounces and the 2nd one would be 7 ounces. So her box would weigh 1 pound 13 ounces as expected. The trick is only weighing the box once.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've used a flat rate box. I do use the flat rate bubble mailer quite a bit, but the boxes are either too big or too small.

[Former_Member]

Craft, that is cool. Nice that you can access a computer from work.

My husband and I are very lucky - we are retired and he gets a pension - companies just don't have pensions like this anymore, with healthcare included.

So we can enjoy what we do on Etsy without feeling a lot of pressure.

And good for you, building a little empire. Ever think you could quick your day job?

[CraftSupplyHouse]

I would love to quit my day job, but I'd need a huge empire to replace my current salary :-)

[Former_Member]

Craft, this is fun, like a puzzle - I know that it would work perfectly for her for 2. I'm saying that if someone ordered 4 - she would have to use 2 boxes because she is already using a 12x12x8 for 2 of them. If she has to use 2 boxes for an order, there isn't going to be enough shipping collected for that.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

No, just a bigger box. The difference in box weights really isn't that extreme unless you're talking about flimsy USPS boxes vs. nice heavy uline boxes. The handling fee could account for some of the difference in actual box weights, too.

[MissMagpiesShoppe]

It is quieter on the threads today......maybe that is a good sign and people are learning how to set up the CS. I've got 3 new listings up so far today. The past month has mostly been dedicated to learning how to set up two shops with CS. As usual, you ladies (Craft, Kathy and Pat) are putting my mind into the "duh" stage....I simply get lost in most of your conversations. Seems like I only have enough sense to set my own shops up......and I don't have enough sense for anyone else anymore.......ha ha ha. Goat coats, dog diapers, candles and Craft's craft supplies simply leave me with the "fuzzies," and I don't mean the warm fuzzies. But now, if you want to talk plates, cups, bowls, etc., now that is a language I can understand. LOL.

[Former_Member]

Hi Ginger!! Cups and bowls are lovely! You always make me smile.

I'm just happy that my shop is all set up now and working perfectly as well and that I have some time to just goof off. That was an intense few weeks for sure.

I don't think the "with another item" people and the "it's perfect the way is now" people are ever going to agree on this.

bowl bowl bowl cup cup cup plate plate!

[CraftSupplyHouse]

Haha. Ginger. I haven't even touched my vintage shop yet. I hope to work on it between semesters (because working full time and having 3 Etsy shops isn't enough, I'm going to school). I can then talk cups and saucers with you!

[Former_Member]

OMG Craft - you must be young! Good luck with all of that.

[MissMagpiesShoppe]

You ladies are funny! Well, just got another listing up, I am on a roll today :)

"I don't think the "with another item" people and the "it's perfect the way is now" people are ever going to agree on this.".............No, probably not, Kathy. But who knows? Etsy may find a way to please both of us. Ta ta for now......

[CraftSupplyHouse]

Haha, Kathy. Not young, just crazy.

[Former_Member]

TaTa Ginger and Craft - an I guess you are crazy! I admire you.

[custompetandtack]

CraftSupplyHousefromCraftSupplyHouse says

"Since we're talking weight, not dollars like the old system, the weight would just keep adding up no matter what the item is. "


I see this as a big problem especially with shops that have a wide variety of items and weights, from 2 oz. to 3 lb or even problems with similar items.

Yes, the weight would still add up but depending on what item would be added or how many added a seller could very easily loose money on shipping.

I have some items if I did this it would *not* calcuate enough postage especially if 2 or more were bought.

A good example is my dog diapers, the larger ones I put 3 oz for the weight since the diaper + mailer is around 2.8 oz.

The diaper is only 2 oz.

So If someone buys 1 diaper and then adds another, the total weight would only be 5 oz. when it really is around 5.7 oz ( a 6 oz rate)......not 5 oz.

Someone buys 3, 4 or more, even a bigger loss on postage.

For 4 diapers......1st diaper would be figured on 3 oz then 2 oz each for the other 3 (6 oz.).

So I'd have a total of 9 oz. when the actual weight to mail all 4 would be around 12 oz.

The way it is now, if someone buys 4, it calculates on 12 oz and the actual weight is around 11.5 for 4 with a mailer.

So this with another item weight would cost me money. (just like it did before CS)

It also would keep more items under that 16 oz FC rate when they'd really need bumped up to Priority and that much more money lost on postage.

[LauriesGiftsBiz]

Wow! So many great things to think about. I appreciate all of your points-- many of which never even crossed my mind. It's much more complicated than I first thought. While I usually don't get orders for more than one purse at a time, during the holidays I do get a handful of orders for multiple (2 or 3) purses or totes. So while I was hoping that CS would totally eliminate the need to do any more refunds for shipping overages, this will not be a huge deal for me on a day to day basis.

I just ran a new test using the USPS Postage Price Calculator to see how much of a difference there would be to ship 1 purse to the west coast vs. the CS 2 purse total. One purse ships for $9.97. Two purses (using the CS weight total) ship for $13.52. Hopefully not a big enough difference to chase away a potential customer.

Now that I've learned that what I *thought* I wanted isn't really possible, I can see that even though I'll still have to do an occasional refund, I will still be way ahead in the long run. Using the old system of estimating shipping, I had to refund almost EVERY purse order unless it happened to actually be going to the west coast. This will be so much better!!!

Great discussion! Thanks!!!